As such, Southampton are obligated to buy Ings for £20million (£18million as a guaranteed fee, plus £2million in various add-ons) this time next year.

Still only 26, there’s certainly plenty of good graft left in Ings if – and that’s a significant ‘if’ – he can just manage to stay fit, injury free, and work towards rediscovering the nifty form that landed him that big move to Anfield in the first place.